Putin Ready to End War in Ukraine with Ceasefire Deal on Current Territorial Gains

New Delhi: President Vlimir Putin is rey and willing to end war in Ukraine with a ceasefire agreement that locks in current territorial gains me by Moscow, Reuters reported, quoting four anonymous Russian sources. Russia presently controls roughly 18 per cent of Ukraine's territory and reports indicate that it is making significant gains in its current offensive as Kyiv struggles to hold off military vances from its larger neighbour with a shortfall of required military equipment. 

Despite recent vances, which have seen Russia recapture some territories that were previously liberated during Ukraine's failed counteroffensive last year, aforementioned sources told Reuters that Putin wishes to use current momentum to end conflict, with Kremlin strongman reportedly being of view that se gains are sufficient to sell a victorious narrative to Russian people. 

war in Ukraine has alrey resulted in heavy losses for both sides. Earlier this year, NATO estimated that over 350,000 Russian soldiers have been injured or killed since start of conflict. 

While Russia does seem to be making up se losses by, among or things, carrying out massive recruitment drives and providing attractive incentives to those willing to support war effort, Reuters sources claim that Putin understands that any significant territorial vances would require anor round of mobilisation. 

This, apparently, is something he is looking to avoid as last round of mobilisation led to a significant drop in his popularity at home. 

As such, as per aforementioned Russian sources, Putin is willing to allow conflict to be frozen on basis of  current frontlines, with se gains allowing Putin to not only claim victory in front of Russian people but also retain a land bridge leing from Russian territory to occupied Crimean Peninsula. 

report by Reuters notes that such a development would leave Russia with a smaller chunk of territory that it h originally aimed for when Kremlin h declared four Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — as being a part of Russia. 

This supposed eagerness to reach a deal falling short of original gains is not just motivated by a desire to avoid anor round of mobilisation. sources quoted in Reuters report also claimed that Putin does not want to extend war as it creates possibility of battle-hardened war veterans returning home and being dissatisfied with post-war job prospects, potentially creating societal tensions. 

ditionally, report says that Russian leership is also concerned over growing possibility of open conflict and even nuclear war with NATO and sources quoted by Reuters emphasised that Putin has no designs on NATO territory. 

sources also claim that Putin has repeatedly expressed frustrations in discussions with his entourage over apparent attempts by Western powers to stymie any ceasefire negotiations. Various Western powers, most prominently US, have emphasised time and again that any ceasefire proposal must respect Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Ukrainian leer Volodmymr Zelenskyy himself has ruled out any peace negotiation with Russia on terms dictated by Moscow and has me complete liberation of all captured territories, including Crimea, foundational to any negotiations. 

Zelenskyy presently is pushing for a peace conference in Switzerland where it aims to establish international consensus on how war should end. Russia has not been invited and Kremlin has said any talks of peace are meaningless without its presence. 

In light of such a stalemate, three of four sources quoted by Reuters said that Putin plans to continue with current offensive to incrementally ratchet up pressure on Ukraine to concede and call for peace talks. Putin reportedly believes that West will not provide Ukraine with as much weaponry as it needs to conduct war, sapping Kyiv's morale over time.